Accessible Customer Service Policy and Plan

Our Commitment

The Conference Board of Canada is committed to providing services in a manner which respects the dignity and independence of all persons, including people with disabilities.

We are committed to giving people with disabilities the same opportunity to access our goods and services and allowing them to benefit from the same services, in the same place and in a similar way as other customers.

Assistive Devices

The Conference Board is committed to serving people with disabilities who use assistive devices to obtain, use or benefit from our goods and services. We will ensure that our staff are trained and familiar with various assistive devices that may be used by customers with disabilities while accessing our goods or services.

We will also ensure that staff know how to use assistive devices available on our premises for customers.

Communication

The Conference Board will communicate with people with disabilities with sensitivity and in ways that take into account their disability.

Service Animals

The Conference Board will welcome people with disabilities and their service animals. Service animals are allowed on the parts of our premises that are open to the public. In the event that a service animal is prohibited by law from the premises, we will ensure that other measures are available to enable the person with a disability to obtain, use or benefit from our services. It is the responsibility of the person using the service animal to ensure that the service animal is kept in control at all times.

Support Persons

A person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person will be allowed to have that person accompany them on our premises. Fees will not be charged for support persons for permission to access the Conference Board’s premises, or other premises where we are holding functions or controlling access to the space.

Notice of Temporary Disruption

In the event of a planned or unexpected disruption to services or facilities for customers with disabilities, the Board will notify customers promptly. This clearly posted notice will include information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated length of time, and a description of alternative facilities or services, if available.

The notice will be placed at all public entrances and at the reception desk on our premises. In appropriate circumstances the notice will also be posted on our website. It is recognized that the ability to provide appropriate notice of a disruption may be limited in cases of an emergency that caused the temporary disruption.

Training for Staff

The Conference Board will provide training to employees, volunteers and others who deal with the public or other third parties on their behalf.

All employees will receive training during their period of orientation as new hires. Ongoing training will be provided as required if there are modifications to this Policy / Plan, if new barriers or potential barriers are identified or to refresh employees’ general awareness and sensitivity to the issues of accessibility.

Training will include:

An overview of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the requirements of the customer service standard

The Conference Board’s Accessible Customer Service Policy and Plan.

How to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities

How to interact with people with disabilities who use an assistive device or require the assistance of a service animal or a support person

How to use the TTY telephone services, or the location of the elevator

What to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty in accessing the Conference Board’s goods and services

Records of the training provided will be maintained by HR, including a record of the dates of training sessions and the names of participants.

Feedback Process

The Conference Board welcomes feedback about the delivery of our services to people with disabilities. Feedback can be made in person, by telephone, in writing or by email. All feedback will be directed to either Perry Eisenschmid, Vice President, Marketing, Sales & IT, or Barb Hogberg, Executive Director, Human Resources.

We will investigate and respond to all such feedback in a timely, thorough and objective manner. The following actions will be taken to respond:

The feedback will be directed to the appropriate person for action

The feedback will be assessed for appropriate action (Note: the customer service standard does not require a response to be provided for all feedback)

Where action includes a response to the customer, we will endeavour to provide a response within four (4) business days.

Availability of Documents

The Conference Board will post a notice on its website and at reception to inform the public of their right to obtain copies of this Policy and Plan. If a customer with a disability requests a copy, it will be provided in a format that takes into account the person’s disability.

Service Disruptions

There are no disruptions at this time.

Feedback

The Conference Board welcomes feedback about the delivery of our services to people with disabilities. You can share your feedback several ways:

What our graduates say?

“The Directors College experience has been nothing short of exceptional, with immediate benefit within the boards on which I serve. Undoubtedly, this program supports its brand of being the gold standard in board governance effectiveness. Of particular benefit was the opportunity to share the learning experience with colleagues within their various roles at the boardroom table. I have developed an enriched knowledge base from which to draw, as well as an enhanced quality network. Without hesitation, I recommend this program, and congratulate its faculty and staff for its commitment to excellence within its mandate.”

Silvia Martini, Vice-President, Interlink Research Inc.

“I performed a significant amount of research when selecting an option for advanced governance education. All of my research pointed to The Directors College. Being the only university accredited program was important, but more important, was that the faculty has an amazing balance of academic and professional background. No other program offers such a unique and high learning environment – the perfect balance of academia and real examples. The experience is demanding and allows you to generate a vast networks of peers who are dedicated to raising the bar on governance – truly the gold standard.”

“The Chartered Director program provided me with a solid foundation in governance which built my confidence to comprehensively serve as a director. The exceptional content and educational process enhanced my curiosity, courage and ability to ask the right questions on crown, non-profit and corporate boards.”

Victor T. Thomas, C.Dir., H.R.C.C.C., Vice Chair, SaskEnergy

“I thought the entire program was very well developed and comprehensive. You never know what to expect when you sign-up for these programs and this exceeded my expectations and was a great learning opportunity.”

James Scongack, C.Dir., Vice-President of Corporate Affairs, Bruce Power LP

“I found the Chartered Director Program to be an excellent forum to understand how strong governance complements effective management. The ability to create and execute an effective strategy is significantly enhanced by a robust process inclusive of board engagement where the right questions are asked and expected outcomes are identified. I truly enjoyed the setting which fostered a strong level of interaction that was supported by quality presentations and material. As CEO of a Shared Service Organization set to deliver benefits to its members, I see the advantage of having a number of our board members participating in this program.”

“A strong board needs a combination of industry knowledge and sound judgement. You need people able to challenge one another, but in a productive environment. The Directors College provides skills, perspectives and tactics to drive value as an effective and successful board member. As a graduate of the Chartered Director Program, I found The Directors College an excellent survey of the critical issues and developing trends of today’s corporate environment. I highly recommend The Directors College.”

The Honourable John Manley, P.C., O.C., C.Dir., President & Chief Executive, Canadian Council of Chief Executives and former Deputy Prime Minister of Canada

“The changes that impact corporate governance are establishing a pattern of increased accountability for the delivery of long-term value to customers, shareholders, employees and society. Proper corporate governance is now being defined to include knowledge of critical elements such as risk management and the measurement of strategic performance. At the end of the day, each board will be judged on its ability to effectively deliver value, rather than on its structure. The Directors College innovative program fills a unique and important gap in providing knowledge and insight as to how this expectation can be met. CMA Canada is pleased to be a sponsor of this timely initiative.”

Steve Vieweg, C.Dir., CPFA (Hon), FCPA FCMA, CEO, CPA Western School of Business

“As an organization focused on educating corporate secretaries, the CSCS believes in furthering the potential of board members to better contribute to building effective governance structures. Given the key role of directors and corporate secretaries in applying proper boardroom practices, corporations need to ensure that these individuals meet a professional standard. The Directors College curriculum covers all the formal regulatory issues for directors and also addresses the informal skills of building effective and appropriate relationships with senior management. We see significant benefits to this program and CSCS is pleased to endorse it.”

Lynn Beauregard, President, Canadian Society of Corporate Secretaries

“The Directors College has developed a director education program which goes well beyond the fundamentals to address the structures and the behavioural components of principle-based governance. I am proud to be associated with the Directors College and I am honoured to lend my name to the College’s graduate award. ”

Gilbert Bennett, Director and Former Chairman of the Board, Canadian Tire Corporation Limited